“You know what, Liv?” Hallie said, standing up and starting to walk down the hall.
“What?”
Hallie pushed the kitchen door open. “Just shut up.”
Kit grabbed the back ofhis neck for the third time in as many minutes.
“Hurt your neck?” Lee asked.
“It’s just stiff.” He stretched his neck, grimacing at the soreness before muttering, “I need a bed.”
Lee slowed his mount so he could stay even with Kit’s plodding pace. “How long are you going to keep this up?”
“What?”
“Blaming Hallie for every mistake you ever made.”
Kit scowled at Lee. “Since when are you her champion? I thought you were only interested in her... petals.”
“Ah-ha!” Lee grinned. “The old Howland counterattack. You really do that rather well, you know it?”
“What?”
“Avoid the question by launching your own verbal assault.”
“God, I hate it when you start that sarcastic sh—”
“Attack evade, attack evade...” Lee interrupted.
“You harp like a woman.”
“If I were one, we wouldn’t be friends. You’d find some reason to hold me responsible for Jo’s actions.”
Kit turned in his saddle. “Just what the hell are you trying to say?”
“You want it in plain language? I’m saying that you’re making Hallie suffer because your first wife was an unfaithful bitch. Is that plain enough?” Lee looked Kit right in the eye.
Oh, that was plain enough. The truth of Lee’s words clawed at Kit, and he didn’t like it, because Lee reminded him of what an ass he was being.
“So what am I supposed to do about it? Forget my past experiences and magically turn into the loving husband?” Sarcasm dripped from his words.
“You could apologize and try to make the best of the situation. Hell, Kit, how many marriages are based on love, or at least remain love matches?”
“Not many,” Kit answered.
“Right. So you’re making it difficult for yourself. If I were in your shoes, I’d accept the situation. Look at what you have.”
“No bed. That’s what I have,” Kit said.
“You have a bed and a pretty, young wife to share it with. For Godsake, this town is filled with men who would give up a gold claim to have what you’re hell-bent on throwing away.”
With each word Lee spoke, Kit’s guilt became stronger. Rigid in his saddle, he stared straight ahead as they rode on.
They turned the corner and Lee reined his horse in. “Stop for a moment, will you? I want to see when this place is opening.”
Kit had hardly noticed the building, yet it took up half the block. The building was red brick with only a few narrow windows, which were covered with decorative iron shutters. Workmen stood on a scaffold while they attempted to hang an oversized sign announcing the opening of the new Jenny Lind Theater.
Lee dismounted, and after a quick glance at Kit, decided to roll out the cannons. “I won’t be long, but while I’m gone, you might think about how Jan would feel. You professed to owe him so much, and then you repay him by making his daughter miserable.”
